How to land a plane when the pilot is out

This article was taken from the July 2012 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content bysubscribing online.

Your light aircraft suddenly starts to drop out of the sky, the pilot is slumped senseless over the controls and the ground is getting closer by the second. John Hartill, chief flying instructor of the Airways Flying Club and wish.co.uk, talks us down.

Don't panic

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This is perhaps easier said than done, but panicking won't bring the pilot back -- and on the contrary, it may well make things considerably worse. "Try to stay calm," advises Hartill. "Take a deep breath and assess the situation."

Stay level

If the nose is noticeably below the horizon, the aircraft is losing height," says Hartill. "Gently pull the control column towards you until it stops descending." If you're climbing, push the column forwards, and rotate it if the plane is turning.

Make a radio call

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"Put on the pilot's headset, look for the press to transmit (PTT) button on the control column, hold it and say, 'Mayday mayday mayday'. Tell the controller what has happened then take your finger off the button and listen for their instructions.

Use the throttle

Having reached an airfield, use the throttle to start a descent. "It's a lever or plunger-type control with a black handle," says Hartill. "Reduce power by moving the throttle lever back or pulling the plunger out and the plane will lose height.

Control the airspeed

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Find the airspeed indicator dial. "It has coloured bands around it. Aim to keep the airspeed in the green zone," Hartill advises. Airspeed correlates with the angle of the nose: push the column away from you to increase speed and pull it to slow down

Trim out pressure

As you descend towards the runway you will have to put the flaps down, with the help of air-traffic control. "This will create pressure on the control column," warns Hartill. "Get rid of it using the trim wheel between the front two seats."

Land on the back wheels

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"As you fly above the runway, close the throttle by moving it back as far as it will go," says Hartill. "Then gently move the control column towards you and hold it there. The aim is to keep the nose slightly up, so you don't land on the front wheel."

Put the brakes on

Congratulations, you have landed the aircraft -- but it is still rattling along the ground, and you can't drive it home. "Locate the rudder pedals, and push them gently and evenly with both feet," says Hartill. "This will apply the brakes."

This article was first published in the July 2012 issue of WIRED magazine